Cyclone Fengal makes landfall near Puducherry, Chennai airport closes operations till 4 am

Cyclonic Storm Fengal has officially made landfall near Puducherry, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirming that the storm's landfall process began at around 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Cyclone Fengal landfall begins near Puducherry; Chennai airport closes operations till 4 am

Sunita Iyer

First Published Nov 30, 2024, 7:48 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 30, 2024, 8:04 PM IST

Cyclonic Storm Fengal has officially made landfall near Puducherry, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirming that the storm's landfall process began at around 5:30 pm on Saturday. The storm, moving west-southwestward at 7 km/h, is expected to take approximately four hours to fully cross the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts. As of 5:30 pm, Fengal was about 40 km off the coast, near Mahabalipuram, and 60 km east of Puducherry.

IMD officials report that Fengal, with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h and gusts reaching up to 90 km/h, is expected to cause significant disruption as it moves inland. The forward sector of the cyclone’s spiral bands has already entered land, and further intensification of weather conditions, including heavy rains and gusty winds, is anticipated.

"The Cyclonic Storm “FENGAL” [pronounced as FEINJAL] over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestwards with a speed of 7 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred at 1730 hours IST of today, the 30th November 2024 over the southwest Bay of Bengal off North Tamil Nadu coast near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 80.3°E, about 40 km away from the coast, 50 km south-southeast of Mahabalipuram, 60 km east-northeast of Puducherry and 90 km south of Chennai," the IMD said in its latest update.

"Latest observations indicate that the forward sector of spiral bands associated with the cyclone has entered into the land. It is likely to move west-southwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph during next 3 to 4 hours," it further stated.

The storm has significantly impacted air travel, particularly at Chennai Airport, where operations were initially suspended from 12:30 pm to 7:00 pm on Saturday due to severe weather. In light of continuing bad weather, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced an extension of the suspension, with operations now halted until 4:00 am IST on December 1, 2024. This decision follows a WebEx meeting held at 4:30 pm today, involving AAI officials and the IMD, to assess the situation.

"A team of senior officials is closely monitoring the situation to facilitate the earliest resumption of operations as meteorological conditions improve. A WebEx meeting was conducted on 30th November 2024 at 1630 hrs, involving all stakeholders and officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). During the meeting, IMD provided updates indicating that the landfall is expected around 2030 hrs, with prevailing weather conditions likely to persist until 2330 hrs," Chennai Airport wrote in a post on X.

"Following consultations with AAI Headquarters and considering feedback from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the closure of operations through a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) until 0400 IST on 1st December 2024. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights," it added.

Several airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, have already confirmed cancellations and diversions of flights to and from Chennai due to the ongoing storm.

Heavy rains, strong winds, and flooding have disrupted normal life in Chennai, with parts of the airport also inundated. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and further updates are expected as the storm progresses. The cyclone’s expected movement and intensity are being carefully tracked, with safety as the primary concern for both residents and travelers.

As the situation develops, authorities urge the public to stay indoors and remain informed through official channels for the latest updates.

For more reliable and latest news